Brandywine Viburnum

Brandywine Viburnum (Viburnum nudum 'Bulk')

Brandywine Viburnum is a tough, full-bodied shrub that brings privacy and multi-season interest to the landscape without feeling fussy. It builds a dense, upright form that helps borders and property lines look finished, even before it reaches full size. Spring flowers set the stage, but the real show comes later when the berries shift through multiple colors at once. Add in rich fall foliage, and you get a shrub that earns its space from spring through late season.

Distinctive Features

This deciduous viburnum forms a dense, upright to rounded shrub with glossy green foliage that can turn wine-red to burgundy in fall. In mid to late spring, it produces flat-topped clusters of small white flowers, followed by heavy berry clusters that often show pink and blue at the same time before ripening darker. The fruit display can persist into fall and sometimes into early winter, adding color when many shrubs are fading. It also handles moisture better than many landscape shrubs, making it a strong choice for sites that stay consistently damp.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun to part shade, with best flowering, fruiting, and fall color in full sun.
• Soil: Moist, well-drained soil is ideal, and it also tolerates periodically wet soils once established.
• Water: Medium to wet, with consistent moisture during establishment and deep watering during drought.
• USDA Zones: Zones 5 to 9.
• Mature Size: About 5 to 6 feet tall and about 5 to 6 feet wide.
• Habit: Upright, dense, and multi-stemmed with a rounded outline over time.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Plant where the multi-color berry clusters can be seen up close in late summer and fall for a standout seasonal moment.
• Screening: Use in rows or staggered groupings to create a dense, landscape-friendly privacy screen.
• Foundation Planting: Place along broad walls where the full habit and seasonal color add weight and balance.
• Rain Garden Edge: Use where soil stays consistently moist to help the planting look intentional instead of soggy and sparse.
• Shrub Borders: Mix with evergreens and fall-color shrubs for layered structure and long-season interest.
• Wildlife Plantings: Include in habitat borders where flowers support pollinators and fruit draws birds later in the season.

Low Maintenance Care

• Pruning: Prune right after flowering if shaping is needed, since next season's bloom forms on older wood.
• Watering: Keep soil consistently moist the first season, then water deeply during extended dry periods for best performance.
• Mulching: Mulch to conserve moisture and moderate soil temperatures, keeping mulch pulled back from the stems.
• Feeding: Feed lightly in spring only if growth is weak, since average soils are usually sufficient.
• Fruit Set: Plant near another compatible Viburnum nudum selection if you want the most consistent berry production.

Why Choose Brandywine Viburnum?

• Berry Color Show: Clusters often display pink and blue tones at the same time for a high-impact late-season look.
• Fall Foliage: Leaves can shift to wine-red and burgundy tones for a strong seasonal finish.
• Dense Structure: Full, upright growth provides screening value and a finished backdrop in mixed plantings.
• Moisture Tolerance: Handles consistently damp sites better than many ornamental shrubs.
• Wildlife Value: Flowers support pollinators and fruit can help support birds as the season turns.

Brandywine Viburnum is a smart choice when you want a shrub that looks good early, peaks beautifully in late season, and still holds structure when the garden quiets down. Give it sun, consistent moisture, and a little space to fill out, and it will reward you with dense growth and a memorable berry display. Used in groups, it creates a clean, intentional line that reads like a designed feature rather than just a row of shrubs.